DAVIS, Calif. — If there was a lyric to describe how redshirt junior outside hitter Demari Webb season has gone, it would be 'She's a Killer Queen' from the song Killer Queen by Queen.
 
Why choose that for the title?
 
Well, Webb's story as to how she got to where she is now comes with a musical twist.
 
No, Killer Queen isn't Webb's favorite pre-game jam.
 
Prior to her arrival to UC Davis, Webb played volleyball as a middle blocker for her club team, Rancho Valley VBC, which she represented for five years.
 
One club tournament later, a swap to a new position changed Webb's volleyball career for the better.
 
"All the girls on my team wanted to go to a One Direction concert, so we didn't have enough outside hitters to play," Webb said. "My coach said, 'You're going to play outside hitter this tournament' and I performed really well, so I never went back."


 
Webb's volleyball journey began in fifth grade, but she was more than just a one-sport athlete.
 
Webb followed her mother Debbie's footsteps of playing sports since she played basketball at UC Riverside. Webb took that sport up and more as part of her willingness to be as active as possible.
 
"My mom always pushed us to do sports, but practically everything," Webb said. "She made us play instruments and made us try every sport – softball, basketball, soccer – just to find what we actually wanted to do."
 
Webb found her niche in volleyball however and stuck with it. She was inspired watching the likes of the U.S. women's national volleyball team, including Destinee Hooker – one of the team's top opposite hitters.
 
"It was so cool to watch them play; I remember watching Destinee play and being so amazed with her attacks."
 
Webb continued to thrive at the outside hitter position, guiding her team at Loma Linda Academy to 92 total wins in four varsity seasons. She also captured All-Ambassador League honors each year, including first-team distinction as a junior and senior. Webb hit 381 kills with a .336 average as a senior but had a more impressive junior campaign with 491 kills and a .344 clip.
 
Then, Webb committed to UC Davis – a decision she has very much enjoyed.
 
"The atmosphere here is super nice," Webb said. "It has great academics, which was a plus. Not only am I going to play volleyball, but I'm also going to study in a great education system."
 
After redshirting her first season, Webb started to find her groove and has been more confident in her approach each season, according to head coach Dan Conners.
 
"What I am seeing right now in Demari is she's playing with a lot of confidence," Conners said. "That's something she's had to build and grow through. She hasn't had a primary role in her volleyball career, even in at the club and youth level. She's got a really big role for us and it's connecting with her at this level."
This season, Webb leads the Aggies with 274 kills, including 12 matches with 10 or more kills. Webb racked up a career-high 21 kills against The Big West's leader Hawai'i on Oct. 29. In total, Webb smashed 548 kills for an average of 2.24 kills per set.
 
Simply put, when Webb is on her game, she is dominant force to be reckoned with when attacking with precision over the net.
 
"It's just about playing smart," Webb said. "Yeah, you can go up and try to hit every ball as hard as you can, but a lot of times that's not necessary. All you need to happen is for the ball to find the floor. It doesn't need to be the cleanest or the prettiest. It's about gathering information and using it to decide where to attack the best and be aggressive the whole time."
 
Conners sees the power in Webb's swing, but also notices how she is selective with her angles of attack.
 
"It's about her being aggressive and attacking the ball," Conners said. "That's the thing that stands out. When she can go up, get the ball high and hit it hard, that puts opponents on her heels. She's able to mix in other shots that will go down because she's jumping high and hitting hard. She puts a lot of pressure on teams."
 
Not only is Webb a leading attacker, but she's a friendly teammate. Webb's teammates appreciate the presence she brings on and off the court.
 
"Demari has such passion for the game, and when that fire comes out in matches, she is unstoppable," junior Lana Radakovic said. "Her attacking has been very crucial to our team's success throughout the season."
 
After graduation this year, Webb plans to apply to physical therapy programs in the Southern California area. She also hopes to stay involved with volleyball, potentially coach her high school team, who she has stayed close with over the years.
 
"I'm very thankful for this experience," Webb said. "It taught me a lot about life and who I am as a person. It gave me a lot of life skills that I'll use for the rest of life."
 
For now, Webb will continue to be the killer queen of the Aggies.